Samsung to redesign foldables in anticipation of trade battle with China
President elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs are already causing panic despite him not even having taken office yet. The latest development because of this anticipated trade battle with China is Samsung deciding to use glass to design the backplanes for its foldable phones.
Backplanes, in simple terms, act as a support between a foldable phone's hinge and panel. Titanium — which was used to make the backplane for the Galaxy Z Fold SE — is primarily sourced from Chinese manufacturers. Trump has targeted China a lot more than other countries which means potentially higher costs for using titanium in phones.
As such, both Apple and Samsung are expected to reduce reliance on titanium and other materials imported from China. In fact, both companies are possibly looking at ditching titanium frames altogether despite their introduction being so recent.
Samsung Display has reportedly begun work on designing a glass backplane and we might see it implemented by 2026. Other materials used in different Galaxy foldables — like specialized steel and plastic — may also be replaced with glass.
If glass backplanes become commonplace in Samsung’s foldables there are a number of changes we can expect. Naturally, the company will spend a ton of resources researching how best to implement glass with minimal losses. Nevertheless, changing materials introduces new pros and cons.
Heat dissipation may worsen slightly with the new backplanes as glass is an insulator. Manufacturing costs may decrease which can end up translating to slightly cheaper phones for the end consumer (maybe).
Glass is also easier to obtain so that might also help reduce costs in the long run. Lastly, it has the potential of being lighter than the materials Samsung has used in the past. Samsung already keeps slimming its phones down and reducing their weight so this would just make that process easier for the company.
It’s still way too early to tell whether the tariff scare is actually going to lead somewhere but that doesn’t mean companies aren’t preparing for it beforehand. Apple will likely try for tariff exemptions like it did during Trump’s first term. Meanwhile, TSMC has halted the completion of a plant in the U.S. as it waits for the incoming president to make the first move.
So we’re either going to see redesigned phones or just straight up increased prices. The next four years should be…interesting.
Backplanes, in simple terms, act as a support between a foldable phone's hinge and panel. Titanium — which was used to make the backplane for the Galaxy Z Fold SE — is primarily sourced from Chinese manufacturers. Trump has targeted China a lot more than other countries which means potentially higher costs for using titanium in phones.
Samsung Display has reportedly begun work on designing a glass backplane and we might see it implemented by 2026. Other materials used in different Galaxy foldables — like specialized steel and plastic — may also be replaced with glass.
Samsung just can’t stop teasing iPhone users. | Video credit — Samsung
If glass backplanes become commonplace in Samsung’s foldables there are a number of changes we can expect. Naturally, the company will spend a ton of resources researching how best to implement glass with minimal losses. Nevertheless, changing materials introduces new pros and cons.
Heat dissipation may worsen slightly with the new backplanes as glass is an insulator. Manufacturing costs may decrease which can end up translating to slightly cheaper phones for the end consumer (maybe).
So we’re either going to see redesigned phones or just straight up increased prices. The next four years should be…interesting.
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